The Whole Delivery

Photo from Getty Images' Doug Pensinger San Francisco Giants flame thrower has won the National league Cy Young award for the second straight year, toping the St. Louis Cardinals one-two punch of Chris Carpentier and Adam Wainwright. Lincecum is the first repeat winner of the award since Randy Johnson's legendary four year run. It was break neck close between the top two for the award Lincecum received 11 first-place votes, 12 seconds and nine thirds for 100 points in balloting released by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Carpenter had nine firsts, 14 seconds and seven thirds to finish second with 94. In my mind though, based on the crucial last 10 stars, when their respected teams needed their aces to be ACES then, I feel that Carpentier won the award in my mind over the now two time winner. Check out the numbers: Wainwright (click to enlargen): Last 10 starts, 2.38 ERA (18 ERs) with 66 k's, 59 hits, and 13 walks. Carpenter (click to enlargen): Last 10 ...

AP Photo/Paul Beaty Even with his not so stellar final start of the season against the Twins, the only saving grace for the Royals this year becomes the third pitcher in their franchise to win the award Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke has been named the American League Cy Young Award winner by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Greinke placed first on 25 of 28 ballots cast by two writers from each AL city and second on three others for a total of 134 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system, as he became the first AL pitcher to win the award while pitching for a last-place team since Roger Clemens won it with Toronto in 1997. Greinke was the silver lining in another disappointing season for the Royals, going 16-8 with a 2.16 earned run average and 1.07 WHIP, while striking out 242 batters for a Kansas City team that lost 97 games. His league-leading ERA was the AL's lowest since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 mark in 2000. David Cone in ...

Photo from MLB.com As I take a second glance, I certainly have no problem with San Francisco Giants flame thrower Tim Lincecum winning the National League CY Young today, which is obviously the young flame throwers first. Originally, I thought that CC Sabathia and Brad Lidge were more deserving because of their tremendous seasons. It is a special year for any closer to not even blow a single save, let alone even a few. All the cards must fall into place for that to happen, and for Lidge to do that is simply amazing. Sabathia would have won this award if he was in Milwaukee from the beginning of the year, and pitched like he did after coming over from the Indians in the mid season trade that propelled the Brewers to the Wild Card in the Senior Circuit. It is truly hard to ignore an 11-2 record with a 1.65 ERA, and how much of an impact Sabathia made on that team. The fact that he garnered one first place vote was a joke in my mind, especially with the way Brandon Webb (who finished seco...